Each year, vaccines save thousands of lives and prevent countless sick days. But millions of older Australians at high risk of serious illness are missing out.

The pandemic has left many of us sick of vaccination, confused about which jabs we need, misled by misinformation, or complacent about the risks of not being vaccinated.

COVID vaccination rates have plunged. At the start of winter 2023, 2.5 million people over 65 weren’t up-to-date with their vaccinations – two million more than a year earlier. The consequences are serious: COVID is still causing more deaths and hospitalisations than flu.

It’s not just COVID. Uptake of other adult vaccines is also far too low. Less than half of people in their 70s are vaccinated for shingles. Only one in five are vaccinated for pneumococcal disease.

We must do better, and we can. The building blocks for success are already in place. Child vaccination and pandemic programs showed us what works. Vaccinations are widely available in pharmacies, vaccination data are better than ever, and an Australian Centre for Disease Control (ACDC) is being set up. The time is ripe for an adult vaccination reset.